Annunciator for automatic phonographs



March l, 1949. A. s. PAsTERNAcK ANNUNCIATOR FOR AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPHS s shets-sheet 1' Filed July 21, 1945- IN V EN TOR.

HUH

/TTORNEYS `March 1, 1949. v A. s. PA's'rERNAcK v 2,453,050

ANNuNcIAToR `Foa AUTOMATIC PHoNoGRAPHs Filed July 21. 1945 s sheets-sheet 2 l lI JL- MTN/555 1 v l INVENTOR. yf L M l. A QMXmvmP/Mammcf( v H TT ORNE V5 March '1, 1949. A. s. PAs'rERNAcK 2,463,050

' ANNUNCIATOR FOR AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPHS l f f f f f f f f f f f f f f 1/ IN VEN TOR.

Patented Mar. l, 1,949

ANNUNCIATOR FOR AUTOMATIC PHON GRAPHS Alexander S. Pasternack, Hollis, N. Y. Application July 21, 1945, Serial No. 606,425

1 claim. 1

This invention relates to automatic phonographs and more particularly to annunciator means for providing a visual indication of the titles of songs being played by such phonographs.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved annunciator apparatus which will automatically and visually designate the title of a song being playedby an automatic phonograph.

A further object of the invention is to provide an annunciator system which will automatically designate by visual means the title of a song that is being played by a phonograph throughout the period of its playing, and which will automatically discontinue such visual indication soon after the record has finished playing,

Other objects of the invention as well as the novel features of construction thereof, will become apparent after a perusal of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an annunciator made according to the invention and shown mounted on the upper end of an automatic phonograph of well-known construction; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the annunciator taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is another vertical sectional view of the annunciator taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear elevational view of a portion of the mechanism in the automatic phonograph; Fig. is a top view of the parts shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the annunciator light circuit; Fig. '7 is an enlarged fr-ont elevational view of a portion of the annunciator title panel; Fig. 8 is a top view of the parts shown in Fig. '7; Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the letter supporting bars or brackets shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the letter members or units and Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view of a lamp compartment portion of the annunciator.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates generally, an automatic phonograph of well-known construction and of which, only such parts thereof are shownras are believed necessary for an understanding of the present invention. The phonograph I, illustrated, includes a turntable 2 mounted on the upper end of a turntable shaft 3 normally positioned to support the turntable 2 below a stack of record trays 4. Mounted on a tone arm housing assembly 5 is a tone arm 6 adapted to play a record 'I supported by the turntable 2 in the latters fully advanced or raised position, as is shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 of the drawings. The record trays 4 each include an outer ring-shaped i Cl.

portion 8 having an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the turntable 2 and The tray hubs 9 are slightly thicker than the ringshaped portions 8 so that the latter are spaced apart in the stack. 'I'he trays 4 are maintained in stack form by springs I2 each of which is connected at one end to a link I3 pivotally attached to a hub 9 and at its other end, to a vertically disposed bar I4. The bar I4 is supported at its upper and lower ends by a pair of supporting arms or members l5, I6 mounted on the rod I9 and forms a stop for the trays 4 in their fully retracted position. Mounted on the rod IIJ is a movable U-shaped guide frame I'I whose vertically disposed central portion spans the hubs 9 of the stack of trays 4 and is provided with a longitudinally extending slot I8 forming a guideway for a record tray selector block i9 adjustably mounted on the upper end of a selector rod 20. The block I9 is provided with a take-out nger 2| which in the operation of the device, travels in a groove formed by aligned notches or recesses 22 provided in the hubs 9. The rod 20 is mounted -on a movable support 32 carried by a sleeve 33 slidably mounted on the tray rod ID. The sleeve 33 is connected to the outer end of an actuating lever 23 constructed and arranged to be oscillated in the directions of the double headed arrow shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In the operation of the device, the lever 23 is raised and lowered in the manner indicated by a selector cam (not shown). The U- shaped guide frame I1 for the selector block I9 has attached to its lower end or leg, a plate 24 to the outer end of the latter of which is connected one end of an adjustable rod 25. The other end of rod 25 is connected to the upper end of a lever 26, which lever at its lower end is pivotally mounted on a brace member, 21. Provided on the lever 26 intermediate its ends, is a cam roller 28 which bears against the peripheral edge of a tray takeout cam 29, the cam roller 28 `being maintained in engagement with the cam 29 by means of a spring 30 which is connected at one end to the lever 26 and at its other end to an offset portion 3l of the brace member 21.

From the foregoing description of the avuto, matic phonograph mechanism illustrated, it will be understood that prior to the cycle of operations l trays 4 will all be arranged in superimposed relation in the stack. When the machine is started, as by the insertion of a coin, and the song to be played, selected, as by depressing a selector button or key, the tray take-out cam commences rotating and the actuating Vlever 23A is lifted' to move.

the rod 2,0 and consequently the selector block" I9 to aposition in which the take-out finger 2| is in the notch or recess 22 of that tray 4 which carries the record selected to be played. Theoam; I29- then causes through cam roller 28, the advance-1A ment of lever 26. As lever 26 advances it causes,

through rod 25 and plate 24, theU-shaped; guideV frame I1 to swing to the right,as.vi.e.wedirf1.Fig. 4

supplied thereto so long as the plug 42 is connected to a source of electrical energy.

The lamps 38 and 4I form part of the annunciator which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 45. As is shown more clearly in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, the lamps 38 are arranged 'in two vertical columns in the annunciator, the

series 39 thereof being arranged along the left handsde of., the annunciatdr, asviewed in Fie. 1, and the'series 40 thereof* being arrang'ed just to the right of the vertical center of the annunciator. Each lamp 38 in the two columns is contained in a separate compartment so that when 'i-txfis. energized, its light will not cause a false or doubtful indication to be given to an observer.

f Thecompartments for the left-hand column of of the drawings, about the shaft lil. The movement of frame l1 and consequently thel selector block I9 carried thereby, causes the take-out finger 2 I to bear against the hub 9v of the selected tray 4 and swingsuchy tray from the stackA to a playing position, as is shown inV Figs. l, 4 and 5'. of the drawings. After the selected tray 4 has reached its playing position, the turntable shaft 3.. is caused to be raised, lifting the turntable 2 through the selected tray 4.` As the turntable 2Y passes through.y the selected tray 4, it remQVesthe selected record 1 from such tray and carries it to playing position. When the turntable 2; reaches the top. of its stroke in position for playing the reco-rd. the; tone arm 6 is positioned to properly engage the record.Y After the recordhaS been played, the tone arm 6 is swung toward the center of therecord by suitable mechanism which causes means tooperate to lower the turntable shaft 3. As the turntable 2 returns through the selected tray 4., the` record 1 is deposited on such tray. By this time, the cam roller` 28' will be starting its engagement with the low side of cam 29. and as it climbs down cam 29, spring 30 will cause lever 26 to move to the left, as. viewed in Fig. 4. of the drawings. As lever 26 is retracted, the L J-shaped guide frame l1, through plate 24 and rod 25, will be swung back to. its normal position thereby replacing the selected trayy 4 in thestaok. The return of the tray 4 to the stack isfacilitated by itsl associated spring I2. YThe machine is then ready to play a new record selected byl a customer'.

, When in the operation of the phonograph machine I, a selected tray 4 is moved into playing position, it comes into contact with a normally open switch 36 mounted upon a bar 31 of insu-V la'tiiigV material'andcloses such switch. The switch 36 is maintained closed by the trayA 4 throughout the playing of the record 1 and until the tray starts to return to the stack after the playing of the record has been completed. The bar 31 is provided with a vertically arranged series ofspaced switches 36, one for each of the trays 4 in the stack andpositioned on the bar to be closed by such trays as the latter are moved into position for playing the records carried thereby. The switches 36 are contained in an electrical circuit containing a Iplurality of lamps 38, they circuit being arranged sothat each switch 36`controls a particular lamp 38 and causes such lamp to be lighted when' closed by its associated tray 4. As is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the lampcircuit is constructed'so that the lamps 38 'are' arranged into two series 39 and 46, each of such series containing an'equal number 'of lamps 38. Associated with 'the series 39 and 40 are elongated lamps 4| which are arranged in the kcircuit so that electrical energyis continuously lamps. (series39), are formed by a back plate 46, sidewall 41 of the annunciator 45, side partition 48, front plate 49 and dividing partitions 50 (see Figs. 1, 2 and l1) The side partition 4B extends the. full heighty of the interior ofthe annlmoiator and 'forms the frontof thefannunciator halfway tothe rear wall 5l thereof (noie Figs. l and l1). The dividing. partitions. 56 are suitably supported in lspaced *relationfby the side partition 48 and the annunciator' sidewall 41. The back plate 46 has' mounted thereonaplurality of lamp bases 52for the lamps, 38 and closes 'the space between the side wall 41 and the rear end of partition 48.V The frontrplate 48 which closes the front ends of` the lamp compartments, is made of metal and: isprovided with' aser-ies' of arrow-shaped openings 53'po'sitionedy infront of; each lamp 38 inl the said'- column and directed toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1.of the drawings. Positioned in front of and against. the metal plate 49. is a-panel 54l of coloredglass or any suitable transparent VorV translucent material.

The inner column of,l lamps 38 in series 46 are contained 'in suitably constructed compartments, the. latter being formed between partitions 55 andl 5,6: which are similar to partition 48, a back panel similar to. back panel 46, a front plate similar to front plate 49 and dividing partitions similar to the dividing partitions 50. .Secured to the outery sides of the front end portions of partitions 48 and 56 arev channeleshaped metal strips 5.1 and 58, respectively, arranged so that their bodyl portions formpart of the front of the annunciator 45 and their flanged edges are directed rearwardly. The body portions of strips 51 and 58 are provided with a series of spaced openings in the form of numerals positioned so that the arrowfshaped openings 53 in the front plates of the columns of compartments are directed thereto. Thus, the arrows of: front, plate 49 are die rected to the numeralson'e through ten, for example,` in the' strip'51,'while the arrows of the inner frontplatearfe*directedl to the numerals eleven through twenty in the strips 58.

Extending from the strip 51 tothe partition 5.5 and supported'thereby. are a Series 0f spaced letter holders 60 (See Fig. 1).. is shown more clearly in Fiss l te Q ci the drawings, each letter Vholder liincludes a central, horizontally disposed strip 6,! having attached to its. rear edge portion. a lU-shaped. member Whose less or flanges t2, 63 are directed forwardly. The flanges 62., 63

vare made. Of .Spring @Bilal alla fGlm. .elongated spring tongues adapted. to receive in the slots 'formed by such narices andthe strip lil and grief.

holder 5.0 whilethe .lower lee tiofsuh member will be gripped between the tongue 62 and strip 6I of an adjacent lower letter holder 60. The letter members 65 are made of any suitable materlal such as thermoplastic material and are provided with a design 69 in the form of a letter. It will thus be evident that opposite each numeral on the strip 57, an operator may readily mount the members 65 to furnish the title of a particular song, that is, the title of the song on the record 1 which is carried by the tray 4 controlling the lamp 39 alongside such numeral. The letter holders 98 are so arranged in the space between the strip 57 and partition 55 that two rows of letter members 65 may be mounted on such holders. Blank members 61 similar to members 65 but not provided with letter-shaped openings, may be positioned between Words in the title to function as spacing members (note Fig. 7). EX- tending between the partitions 48 and 55 is a plate 68 of transparent or translucent material which permits light to pass from a lamp 4I through the num-erals of strip 57 and the members 65 and 61.

In a similar manner, letter holders 69 of a construction similar to holders 60, are provided between the strip 58 and the right-hand side of the annunciator 45, the lamp 4I associated therewith being arranged to transmit light through a plate similar to plate 68 and through the numerals of strip 58 and the members 65 and 61 carried by such holders 69. The annunciator is provided with a glass paneled door 19 exposing to the View of an observer, the indicating parts described (see Fig. 1).

It will be understood from the foregoing, that as the lamps 4l are always energized in the use of the machine, the numerals on the strips 51 and 58 the letter members 65 will be continuously illuminated, thus, affording the customers, a clearly visible indication of the titles of the song records l contained in the machine and the number of the button or key which should be pressed in order to have a particular record played. Suppose for example, a customer noting that there is a record 7 entitled Danube Waltz, and desiring that it be played, he inserts his coin and depresses the button marked 9 on the machine or on a remote control, causing the tray 4 bearing such record to move out from the stack and into position for the turntable to pick up such record. When the tray 4 reaches such position, it closes the switch 3B controlling that lamp 38 in the left-hand column of compartments opposite or aligned with the numeral 9 in the annunciator. There is thus provided adjacent the numeral 9, an illuminated arrow which indicates to the other customers, the title of the song that is being played. As has been explained, the lamp 38 will remain lighted throughout the playing of the record and until the tray 4 for this record, starts its return to the stack. The illuminated arrow will thus remain during a like period, affording a visual designation of the title of the song being played throughout its playing period. The customers therefore will be informed at all times of the titles of the songs being played by the machine.

While I have described and illustrated an embodiment of my invention, it will be evident to those skilled in the art, that various changes and modiiications may be made therein, without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, instead of mounting the annunciator on top of the phonograph machine, as illustrated, it may form part of the front face thereof, or may be separate from such machine and positioned at a place where it will be more clearly visible to the customers than the machine itself. Other means than the trays 4 and switches 36 illustrated, may be employed for controlling the lamps 38 so long as such means maintain a lamp energized during the period that a record is played and -deenergizes the lamp at the end of such period. The lamps 38 themselves, may have colored bulbs, thus dispensing with the transparent or translucent plates 54. Various other obvious changes and alterations may be made in the device within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

An annunciator for use with an automatic phonograph machine comprising a receptacle including a vertically disposed series of horizontal spaced letter holders, each including a pair of elongated spring tongues whose longitudinal free edges are disposed to the front of the device, removable letter members spanning and carried by pairs of said spaced hol-ders, each of said letter members being U-shaped and having a central portion made of light permeable material and leg members adapted to be gripped by the tongues of said holders, the central portions of said letter members being provided with letters and forming the titles of the records in the phonograph machine, a vertical face section adjacent one side of said letter holders and having a vertically disposed series of numerals arranged in predetermined relation with said spaced letter holders, each numeral indicating the arrangement in the machine of the record bearing the title formed by the letter members on its associated letter holders, a second face section adjacent to said first mentioned section and having a vertical column of designs aligned with the numerals of said rst mentioned section, each design bearing portion of said second sec-tion forming the front face of a separate lamp compartment, means responsive to l the operation of the selectively operated means in the phonograph machine for selectively lighting the design associated with the title of the record being played by the machine throughout the period of play of such record, said responsive means comprising a lamp concealed in each of said compartrnents in back of the designs formed on the front face of said compartments, and lamp means for continuously illuminating all of the letter members on said holders and said numerals while the annunc-iator is available for use.

ALEXANDER. S. PASTERNACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Certiicate of Correction Patent No. 2,463,050. March 1, 1949. ALEXANDER s. PASTERNACK It is hereby certied that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 6, line 19, claim 1, after the Word machine insert wherein means are selectively operated at the start of the playing of each record and remains in sach operated condition until the playing of the record has been completed when it returns to an inoperative condition, said annaneiator; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oce.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of June, A. D. 1949.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Oommissoner of Patents. 

